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"I will never forget the first time I saw these horrors shambling out of the misty woods. Our loved ones, buried long ago, rose from their graves and began to attack the living. However, the risen dead were only the beginning..."—Deckard Cain[1]

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The Risen Dead are the reanimated remains of the unjustly slain, and due to King Leoric's downfall, their numbers are legion. Though most Risen were long buried in cemeteries, unmarked (mass)graves or tombs, the power unleashed by the Fallen Star woke them from their eternal slumber. Consumed by a thirst for vengeance against the living, they now seek to destroy those they once held dear. They have the ability to infect other humans.

The only way to ensure Risen Dead stay dead is to physically destroy them: burn to ashes, disintegrate or tear to pieces (even snapping them in half does not help). In all other cases, they will rise again.[1]

The Risen Dead are literally the first monsters a new player encounters in Diablo III. Risen can often be seen feasting on the bodies of fallen travelers or townsfolk and usually move about in small groups. Risen can also be spawned by Wretched Mothers. Though individual Risen are weak and easily dispatched, large numbers can potentially overwhelm even seasoned adventurers.

Risen lack special abilities or spells; they have a relatively weak melee attack, move and attack with below the average speed, and do not have any resistances. Their main role is to distract the player to allow more powerful monsters to engage uncontested.

Hungry Corpse is a more powerful version of a Rised Dead, but also less numerous.

Risen are the typical cannon-fodder monsters and usually don't prove much of a challenge. They move slowly and can easily be outrun.

Should large packs of these monsters prove too much to defeat; try and scatter their ranks with area of affect spells or run back a little to spread them out more.

Be advised; in some area's, Risen can claw forth from the ground or burst from tombs. Be mindful of your surroundings to avoid nasty surprises.

In the Halls of Agony, a more powerful variant of Risen Dead is encountered: Inferno Zombies, typically hiding in furnaces. They are much tougher and deal more damage, and their attacks inflict minor Fire damage on hit.

Dark Cultists can sometimes be seen setting up Iron Maidens which continuously spawn Risen Dead (much like Sarcophagus did with Mummies in Diablo II).

In Desolate Sands, Dust Zombies can be found, also more resilient than their normal counterpart.